A faculty with doctorate degrees from outstanding universities create a sense of community and set a standard or excellence in the Early Childhood and Elementary Education Department.  The fifteen, full-time faculty members participate in professional associations and are leaders in ESU teacher education initiatives including the Urban Learning Academy and Professional Development Schools. Our diverse and expert faculty focuses on student success.

Alberto Alegre aalegre@po-box.esu.edu (570)422-3859
Assistant Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education
B.S., 1980, University of Barcelona
B.S., 1985, University of Barcelona
M.S., 1991, University of Barcelona
M.A., 2002, Goddard College
Office: 311

Nurun Begum nbegum@po-box.esu.edu  (570)422-3371
Assistant Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education
B.Ed., 1997, University of Dhaka
M.Ed., 1999, University of Dhaka
M.A., Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Office: 209M

Margaret Benson mbenson@po-box.esu.edu (570)422-3367
Associate Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education
B.A., 1975, University of Missouri at Kansas City
M.S., 1989, Florida State University
Ph.D., 1995, Florida State University
Office: 209N

Janet Ferguson jferguson@po-box.esu.edu (570)422-3372
Associate Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education
B.Ed., 1978, University of British
M.Ed., 1993, Washington State University
Ph.D., 1999, University of Oregon
Office: 209J
Interests: Qualitative research methods in teacher education, inclusive and prosocial learning environments, alternative assessments, supervision of student teachers, constructivist models of teaching
Favorite Quote: "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." - Mahatma Gandhi

Susan Harlan sharlan@po-box.esu.edu (570)422-3044
Associate Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education
B.A., 1972, Millersville University of Pennsylvania
M.S., 1981, Marywood College
Ph.D., 1996, Rutgers University
Office: 209B
Interests: Early intervention, preschool curriculum
Favorite Quote: "In the end only kindness matters." - Jewel

Paula Kelberman pkelberman@po-box.esu.edu (570)422-3365
Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education
B.A., 1973, Douglas College
M.Ed., 1975, Rutgers University
Ed.D., 1988, Rutgers University
Office: 209C

Martha Kellow mkellow@po-box.esu.edu (570)422-3366
Associate Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education
B.S.E.D., 1975, Bloomsburg University
M.S., 1980, Bloomsburg University
Ph.D., 1990, University of Pennsylvania
Office: 209E
Personal Interests: Tennis, cocker spaniels, reading
Professional Interests: Children's literature, diversity, professionalism
Favorite Quote: "Humor is man kind's greatest blessing." - Mark Twain

Marilyn Narey mnarey@po-box.esu.edu (570)422-3664
Assistant Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education
B.S., 1977, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
M.S., 2001, Duquesne University
Ed.D., Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Office: 209I
Interests: Dr. Narey's research, presentation and publication interests center upon issues of educational quality, diversity, and social justice and include the areas of multimodal literacy, semiotics, technology integration, critical/creative thinking, interdisciplinary curriculum, teacher quality, and reflective practice.
Favorite Quote: "Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance...

Few are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, the wrath of their society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential, vital quality for those who seek to change a world that yields most painfully to change. And I believe that in this generation those with the courage to enter the moral conflict will find themselves with companions in every corner of the globe...

For the fortunate among us, there is the temptation to follow the easy and familiar paths of personal ambition and financial success so grandly spread before those who enjoy the privilege of education. But that is not the road history has marked out for us. Like it or not, we live in times of danger and uncertainty. But they are also more open to the creative energy of men than any other time in history. And everyone here will ultimately be judged - will ultimately judge himself - on the effort he has contributed to building a new world society and the extent to which his ideals and goals have shaped that effort." - Robert F. Kennedy, University of Capetown, South Africa, June 6, 1966

Patricia Pinciotti ppinciotti@po-box.esu.edu (570)422-3686
Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education
B.A., 1971, Edgecliff College
M.Ed., 1979, Rutgers University
Ed.D., 1982, Rutgers University
Office: 209B

Linda Rogers lrogers@po-box.esu.edu (570)422-3491
Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education
B.A., 1969, Blackburn College
M.S., 1988, University of Scranton
Ed.D., 1997, SUNY at Binghamton
Office: 112F
Interests: Children's literature, social studies
Favorite Quote: "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." - Mahatma Gandhi

Alison Rutter arutter@po-box.esu.edu (570)422-3360
Assistant Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education
B.A., 1978, Vassar College
M.A., 1994, Columbia University
M.Ed., 1999, Columbia University
Ed.D., 1999, Columbia University
Office: 209L
Interests: Professional development school history and philosophy, teacher leadership, elementary science inquiry
Favorite Quote: "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." - Heraclitus

Sharon Switzer sswitzer@po-box.esu.edu (570)422-3368
Assistant Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education
B.A., 1969, Fontbonne University
M.Ed., 1975, Lesley College
Ph.D., 2003, Lesley College
Office: 209H
Interests: Family literacy, ESL, qualitative research, head start
Favorite Quote: "It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge." - Albert Einstein

Margot Vagliardo mvagiardo@po-box.esu.edu (570)422-3858
Associate Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education
B.S., 1970, SUNY at Oneonta
M.S., 1974, SUNY at Oneonta
Ed.D., 2000, SUNY at Binghamton
Office: 313
Personal Interests: International travel, restoring oriental carpets
Professional Interests: Culturally responsive teaching, urban education, social justice
Favorite Quote: "Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." (Sign hanging in Einstein's office at Princeton)

Andrew Whitehead awhitehead@po-box.esu.edu (570)422-3356
Department Chair, Associate Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education
B.A., 1986, Pennsylvania State University
M.A., 1993, Marywood University
M.S., 1996, Marywood University
Ph.D., 2002, Marywood University
Office: 209A

Craig Wilson cwilson@po-box.esu.edu (570)422-3357
Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education
B.S., 1971, Baptist Bible College
M.A., 1982, University of Toledo
Ph.D., 1988, University of Toledo
Office: 209K